Hebrews 11:13 NIT All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.
Hebrews 11:39-40 (NET) ...yet they did not receive what was promised. For God had provided something better for us, so that they would be made perfect together with us.
The truth is God never gives a timeline for waiting, but instills in us to keep the faith even through eternity. So, does that beg the question-- should we wait like our promises will never be fulfilled? I will rebuttal that by saying we should wait and know that our promises from God will always be fulfilled; whether in this lifetime or the next to come.
In a doctor's office, for example no one likes the long mundane waiting room. I know I don't like to wait, and I become anxious the closer time gets to my scheduled appointment. In comparison, when waiting on God take that the time to prepare in the waiting room. Praise God in the waiting room because He could be preparing a path that will bless you abundantly. I am not sure if that analogy is the best, but my point is--do not look at waiting as a bad or dreadful task. Many references throughout the Bible encourage Christians to wait and get ready for God's blessing and promises that are at hand. So, if God tells you to wait until eternity, would you choose to still wait?
In waiting so much of our character is developed. Waiting activates hope and faith.
Abram was promised to be made a great nation. He was promised that He would see the Promised Land God would bestow upon him and his descendants. (Hebrews 11: 8-10) Although, he never saw it in HIs lifetime he left his father's house on faith, and waited with hope and assurance that God would deliver his promise. (Hebrews 11:1 and 11:8-10 tell us :Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. I hope I am clearly tying this all together, but what I want to stress is God is faithful even when we don't see the promise or understand the waiting period, God is faithful to His Promises.
Waiting is truly an action verb. In my life through seasons of waiting I learned so much about myself that I could never imagine gaining from any other lesson. I have seen God's hand move in my life even while waiting and expecting something bigger. I realized that waiting on God truly is a precious place to be. You are solely reliant to Him, and your are centered with a clearer focus. In my reading of Hebrews I came across chapter eleven and verse twenty-six. The last line of the verse really caught my attention, "... He was looking ahead to his great reward." To me that is so profound. Moses in this example chose to be considered a child of God rather than an Egyptian. He chose to enjoy his reward in the eternal rather than live lavishly in the flesh here on earth. He chose to live being a child of God and wait with expectancy on God's promised eternal life-- which Moses referred to as '...his great reward'.
In closing, wait with hope and faith knowing that God is faithful in fulfilling His promises. Just because the world around us is moving fast, does not mean God is slow in fulfilling His promises. Wait not according to the world, but wait with the expectancy of life everlasting. I know that if I don't receive the promises here on earth God's promise still prevails. I know that even if I don't see things come into fruition here on earth God's promises will be waiting for me in the Eternal Life.
Scriptures for reference~ Hebrews11:1-40 -- 2 Peter 3:8-9
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